A Week of (mis)Adventures
by Jammequin
Summary: This is set in the second half of season two. Tom is gone and long forgotten. Red and Liz have been getting closer together since Tom's departure and love is on the horizon. Lots of fluff, romance, humour and eventually... Well, you can guess! I own nothing of The Blacklist
1. Chapter 1

Red eagerly trotted up the steps to Liz's apartment door and rapped on the knocker. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this excited. Or this nervous. Adjusting his weight from one foot to the other, he waited not so patiently for Liz to answer his knock. Eventually he heard her footsteps heading towards him and couldn't help but break out into a huge smile when the door swung open and she stood there, as beautiful as ever.

'Hey, Red. You're early', Liz said, smiling back at him.

Red glanced at his watch, although he knew all too well what the time was. He was very aware he was early but he just couldn't wait to get their day started.

'Oh, look at that, so I am. Apologies, Lizzy, I do hope I'm not imposing?', he said as he looked up at her, giving her his best puppy-dog eyes.

Liz smirked at him, seeing right through his ruse, 'Of course not. Come in and sit down, I'm nearly ready. Of course it would help if you'd actually tell me what you've got planned for today? I've no idea what to wear'.

'Oh, don't worry about clothing, my dear. Just some jeans and a casual top will be fine. Nothing too fancy'.

'Is that why you're dressed up to the nines as usual?'

Red looked down at his cream three-piece suit and then back up at Liz innocently, 'This? It's my summer wardrobe. I always feel a light-coloured linen suit can be both smart and business-like and yet relaxed and casual'.

Liz rolled her eyes and headed for the stairs, 'Okay, whatever you say. Help yourself to coffee, I'll be back down in five'.

Red watched Liz ascending the stairs, unable to drag his eyes away from her ass. Once she was out of sight he blew air out from his cheeks and turned towards the kitchen. The past week had been pure torture for him. They had been getting closer than ever and it was all he'd ever hoped it would be. Liz had shown a recent fondness for taking his hand or his arm when they were walking and he'd caught her staring at his lips every time she thought he couldn't see her whilst he was in the midst of one of his stories. The sexual tension between them was now palpable. However, Red felt that it was going to take something just a little bit extra to tip them over the edge and straight into bed. And he'd come up with the perfect plan. A whole week of wooing. He'd cleared her time off with Harold, convincing him that Liz had needed some R&R and that he himself had some business he needed to attend to. He hadn't quite gotten around to mentioning that these two things were linked but Harold didn't need to know that. And so today was the first day of what he hoped would be a wonderful week with his Lizzy; doing something new and exciting every day and, please god, bringing them together in every sense of the word.

Just as he finished pouring himself some coffee and flicking through Liz's pile of mail, he heard her coming up behind him.

'See anything that interests you?'

'Oh, sorry, Lizzy. I just, well, I don't get mail anymore. Not having an actual address that anyone knows. I was intrigued as to the current state of junk mail. It would appear it hasn't changed all that much in the last twenty years', he said as he screwed his eyes up to focus on a leaflet advertising viagra.

'Why on earth would they send someone this out of the blue?', Red said once he'd worked out what it was.

Liz snorted and took it from him, placing it straight in the recycling, 'Very funny'.

'Hmmm?'

'Out of the blue? Terrible pun, Red'

Red burst out laughing and turned to pick up his coffee, 'Oh, I hadn't even thought of that. Unintentional puns are always the best, don't you think?'

Liz didn't know what to say to that so she just picked up her own cup of coffee and quickly finished it off.

'Well, I'm ready if you are. Come on, let's get this show on the road. I can't wait to see what you've got planned for me today', she said as she took Red's cup from him and hooked her hand around his elbow.

Red smiled broadly at her and led her out to the car, 'I'm positive you're going to enjoy it, Lizzy. I've put a lot of thought into each day's activity for this week and I'm fairly confident I've managed to hit the nail on the head with every one'.

As Liz slid into the backseat next to him, after she'd said hi to Dembe, who was sitting in the driving seat, she couldn't help but scowl at Red again, 'You're always confident, mister. It's infuriating. However, I'm willing to give this a go. If only so I get the chance to burst your smug bubble at some point'.

'Well, we'll see, my dear. Okay, Dembe, hit the road'.

Dembe pulled the car away from the kerb and into traffic. Within twenty minutes it was clear that they were heading out into the countryside and Liz was now more intrigued than ever as to their destination. After nearly another hour, Dembe signalled to come off the highway and they started to make their way down increasingly small and winding country lanes.

Eventually, they were there. Once they pulled into the driveway of a large house set far back from the road, it was clear what they were going to be doing. Red had brought them to a vineyard. He peered at Liz from the corner of his eye and saw her smiling. Strike one to me, he thought to himself.

'I've managed to negotiate with the owner of this fine establishment that we can have the place to ourselves for as long as we want it today. He'll give us a tour and then we can conduct a wine tasting. Have you ever done that before, Lizzy?'

'No, never. Well, unless you count working my way through the local store's selection'

Red laughed and reached for her hand, squeezing it lightly, 'Well, that's a start. I'm sure you'll find it very interesting. Oh, and they grow Chardonnay grapes here. I know that's your favourite tipple'.

Liz squeezed Red's hand back and turned to smile at him, 'Yes, it is. Thank you, Red, this should be great. And, okay, I'll admit it, you've managed to succeed with day one's plans', she laughed at him before turning to look back out the car's window.

They pulled up outside the door to the house and got out from the car. Immediately the door opened and a small man in his seventies appeared and walked towards them, smiling.

'Mr Michaels, I presume? And is this the fair Elizabeth?'

Red shook the man's hand, 'Yes, indeed, on both counts. Pleased to meet you, Mr Fraser. Thank you so much for accommodating us here today, we can't wait to get started. Oh, and this is Dembe', Red added as Dembe came forward to shake the man's hand. 'He has absolutely no interest in the making or drinking of wine, for all my years of attempting to guide him that way', Red said as Dembe raised an eyebrow at him, 'but we needed a driver and so here is the poor man'.

'Pleased to meet you, Dembe. If you don't want to join us for the tour or the tasting, please feel free to make yourself at home anywhere on the grounds. We even have a pool if you'd like to cool off at any point?'

'Thank you', Dembe rumbled in his deep voice, 'I may well do that'.

Red, Liz and Mr Fraser headed towards the back of the house, leaving Dembe to entertain himself.

'So, where you folks from anyways? The big smoke, no doubt. You look like city folk'.

'Elizabeth here is from DC, yes. I, myself, am a keen traveller. I'm not really sure I can call anywhere home. Although I have found cause to spend a lot more time than usual in the DC area of late', Red added, smiling at Liz.

They headed into a large barn behind the house and Mr Fraser turned to start the tour, 'So first up, please call me Bill. No need for formalities here. I'm gonna tell you a little bit about how we turn the grapes into wine in this here structure and then we can go have a looksy at some of the vines if you'd like. And then, the part I'm sure you're most interested in, the tasting'.

'Sounds perfect', Liz said, sidling up to Red and holding him by his arm again. He turned to look at her and couldn't help but smile at how happy she looked. All smugness about choosing this activity for her was now long forgotten, he was just ecstatic that he'd put a smile on her face after all her recent troubles.

Bill started telling them about the vinification process and they both listened intently, Red constantly interjecting with questions. Liz, who knew nothing at all about the science behind winemaking, had no questions she could think of but she loved listening to how enthusiastic Red was on the subject. And in Bill, he had found a fellow aficionado. The two of them were nattering away nineteen to the dozen in no time.

Eventually this part of the tour finished and they headed out towards the vines. Looking up, they could see row upon row of them as far as the eye could see. It was an impressive sight and one of which Bill was clearly very proud.

He led them into the nearest row and started to show them the grapes, explaining how far they were along in their growth cycle and when they'd be harvested. Red, once more, was straight in with more questions and insisted on tasting the grapes, despite knowing how sour they would be. Liz had to laugh at his face as he was forced to spit one out, rather than swallowing it.

'You just had to do that, didn't you? You knew it was going to taste horrible'.

'Yes, I did, Elizabeth. But it's all part of the learning process', he said as he turned to wink at Bill, who was smiling at them both.

They soon headed back down towards the main house and barns and Bill led them into a small café that he ran onsite. 'Okay, folks. Next up is the tasting. Now, as I'm sure you both know, it really should be about the tasting, rather than the drinking. But I just can't seem to stop my visitors drinking more than they should, no matter how much I warn them to pace themselves. We've got a lot of different varieties here to try so I do recommend not swallowing every mouthful but I'm sure it'll fall on deaf ears like it normally does', he said as he looked at them with an amused twinkle in his eye.

'And to that end I'm going to rustle you up some bread and cheese to fill your bellies before we start. Cheese is a great way of helping to deal with a lot of alcohol. Make yourselves comfortable, I'll be right back'.

Liz and Red sat down at one of the small tables in the café and Liz reached out at once and took a hold of Red's hand on the table.

'Thank you, Red, this has been wonderful so far. And thank you for picking a Chardonnay vineyard, I know you prefer red wine'.

'You're very welcome, sweetheart. But no need to worry about the colour of the wine, I'm sure I can manage to force myself to enjoy it', he chuckled as he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

'So, er, Mr Michaels…. What should I call you?'

'Yes, sorry, I forgot to mention that early. I've been a little distracted. Just call me Ray, that'll be easier than remembering a pseudonym'.

Liz winked at Red just as Bill came back into the café, carrying a tray heaped with lots of varieties of cheese and fresh breads. Liz looked up at Red and had to stifle a laugh as his eyes had opened wide in delight. He looked like a kid in a candy shop.

'Oh, my… Well, that all looks delicious. Thank you so much, Bill. Will you join us?'

'I'd love to but I'd best go get all the things ready for the tasting. I didn't have time this morning as I was working in the barn. I'll be about an hour, if that's okay?'

'Absolutely fine. Take all the time you need. I'm sure Elizabeth and I can make short work of this delicious looking selection in that time'.

As Bill smiled at them and walked out the door, Liz looked at Red, 'Are you kidding? There's enough here for ten people!'

'Well, perhaps…. But you forget we have a secret weapon', Red said as he reached for his phone. After a brief conversation, Dembe appeared in the doorway, his eyes lighting up very much as Red's had when he saw the food.

Liz rolled her eyes and shook her head at them. What was it with these two and their obsession with food? Dembe sat down and the three of them started working their way through their feast.

True to his word, Bill reappeared after an hour. He walked in and couldn't help but burst out laughing. Every morsel of the bread and cheese was gone. Red and Dembe were both sitting holding their bellies and looking pretty uncomfortable. Liz was just looking at the two of them, half amused and half appalled at what she'd just witnessed.

'That is some pretty impressive eating, folks. I don't think I've ever seen anyone polish off the whole lot before. Well, certainly not just three people'.

Dembe raised his head from the table and groaned. Red attempted to say something but just huffed out air instead. Liz just sighed at the effects of their indulgence and stood up from the table.

'Here, Bill, let me help you clear up after these two gluttons'

'Much appreciated, Elizabeth'

The two of them quickly picked up all the plates and Bill carefully swept up the crumbs from around Dembe's head, which had returned to the table. All the while Liz and Bill kept glancing at each other and trying not to laugh. Once they'd taken the tray back through to the kitchen and returned, Liz went up to Red and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind.

'Come along now, Ray, we don't want to keep Bill waiting, do we?'

Red stood up, groaning even more at this attempt to defy gravity, 'Of course not. I think I could use a digestif as it happens', he said as he winced at Bill, who was jovially shaking his head at him.

'See you later, Dembe. I don't imagine you'll have moved by the time we're done', Red said as they left the café. Dembe raised his hand in farewell without managing to lift his head off the table.

The three of them made their way to the tasting room and as soon as they walked in, Red seemed to come back to life, 'Oh, my, look at that array of wines. Wonderful. Mmm, and the smell in here is intoxicating. Probably literally', he finished with a chuckle.

Bill took a few minutes to explain exactly how one should assess a wine, something with which Red was entirely au fait but Liz was listening intently. As soon as he was finished, he poured them each their first tasters and handed them over. Liz was studiously doing everything she'd just learned about appreciating the colour, the bouquet and, of course, the taste. Red had a quick sniff and then gulped the lot down in one.

'I do apologise for my manners, Bill. I will take more time over the next few wines. But I really am in desperate need of some alcohol to help soak up all that cheese right now'.

Bill laughed at him, 'Well, you've got that the wrong way round but you just feel free to do whatever pleases you'.

Liz had a sip of her wine and moaned happily, 'Oh, that is superb', she said as she rolled it around her mouth. She then swallowed it. 'There's no way I'm going to spit that out. In fact, could I have a little more, maybe?'

Bill poured another small amount into her glass, 'Thank you for the compliment, Elizabeth. I'm glad you like it'.

Liz nodded at him enthusiastically as she took another sip. Meanwhile, Red had also held his glass out for a second helping and smiled hopefully at Bill.

'Oh, my. You two are going to be quite a handful pretty soon, aren't you? It's damn lucky you've got that strapping fella here to drive you home'.

Although Bill was taking his time with each new variety of wine and vintage, carefully explaining about the soil that produced each grape and the weather conditions that would've affected the differing flavours, within two hours Red and Liz were both completely drunk. Neither of them had spat out a single mouthful of the wine, insisting it was just too wonderful to waste. As Bill finished up his talk, he smiled at them both, happy that they'd both enjoyed themselves so much.

'Okay, folks, that's it. You've tried every variety we have'.

Red looked at him sadly, 'Really? Oh, that's a shame. Ah, well, I suppose we could maybe buy some to take with us?'

'Of course you can, my friend. Which would you like?'

Red looked around the various bottles and then at Liz, 'Which did you prefer, Elizabeth?'

Liz looked up at Red, 'All of them. Every single one'.

Red laughed at her gently, 'Okay, Bill, we'll take half a dozen bottles of each one then. I'm sure we'll fit it all in the trunk'.

Bill looked at them in surprise but nodded happily, 'Right, well I'll go get one of my boys to pack all that up with me and we'll bring it around to your car. Should take half an hour or so. Feel free to do whatever you like in the meantime'.

'Perhaps we could have another bottle now, just to pass the time?', Red asked, a glint in his eye. Whilst he was most certainly drunk, the amount he'd eaten at lunch had helped him to keep from being quite as inebriated as Liz seemed to be.

'Yes, indeed. Just pick yourselves one and take a couple of glasses. I'll sort out the boxes for you'.

'Thank you so much, Bill. We've both had an excellent day here. I, for one, will definitely be back', Red said as he reached into his pocket and handed over a large bundle of notes to Bill.

'Oh, Mr Michaels, that's far too much…..'

'Nonsense. I insist. Your hospitality and generosity has been delightful. Please, allow me to recompense you fully'

Bill shook his head but accepted the money, 'Well, thank you muchly. That's very kind of you, sir. I'll allow you folks to take your time over that last bottle'.

'Thanks you sho much, Bill', Liz said then stopped talking abruptly, realising she was slurring terribly.

'You're very welcome, my dear. I do hope the effects of today's tasting don't keep you from enjoying too much of tomorrow', he finished with a wink.

With that, Bill headed out of the door to find one of his sons to help him package their order.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Liz burst into giggles. Red turned and looked at her, surprised.

'Whatever's the matter, my dear?'

'Red, I'm absolutely smashed….', Liz managed to blurt out before descending into another fit of giggles. She reached out for Red's arm and he went to her side immediately, helping to support her. He laughed lightly and turned them both towards the door.

'Perhaps another bottle isn't the wisest choice then'

'Ohhhh…. No. No, no, no. We're having another, mister. Go grab that last one. That was yummy'.

Red narrowed his eyes at Liz but she looked up at him defiantly. Sighing to himself he turned to fetch a bottle from the table. He knew he would never manage to persuade Liz not to have more if she were determined to do so. However, he knew he could easily manage most of the bottle himself so decided he'd just drink quickly so as to ensure she didn't have too much more herself.

They headed on out to the yard and towards the vines, sitting closely together on the grass. Red poured them each a small glass of wine and handed Liz's to her.

'To you, Lizzy'

'No, to you, Red. Today has been aaammmmaaazzzing', Liz said and giggled.

Red smirked at her and quickly downed the whole of his glass when she was turned away from him slightly, looking out over the fields. He then poured himself another one and hid the bottle behind him.

When Liz turned back towards him, she decided she really wanted to get even closer so shuffled so that they were touching from foot to shoulder. She then rested her head on him and sighed happily.

'It's so beautiful here. We should get out of the city more often'.

Red's heart soared at Liz's use of the word 'we'.

'I'm glad you like it, my dear. And I'll take you anywhere you want, anytime you want. I hope you know that?'

Liz smiled up at him and took his hand, wrapping her fingers around his, 'Yeah, I do. Thank you'.

Twenty minutes later, they had finished their bottle and they headed back down towards the car. Red had managed to drink about three quarters of it and thankfully Liz hadn't noticed his subterfuge. However, now Red was feeling very much the worse for wear and could tell that he had started to weave a little, rather than walk in a straight line.

As they drew near the car, they were puzzled to note that Dembe was nowhere to be seen, 'That's odd. He wasn't still in the café when we walked past. I wonder where he could be?', Red pondered, turning in a circle and looking about the place.

'Maybe he went for a swim after all?'

'Ha! I doubt it. With all that cheese in his belly he'd have sunk like a stone'

Before they could wonder further, Bill appeared from the house and walked towards them.

'Hey there, folks. Your car's all packed and ready to go'.

Red raised an eyebrow at Bill questioningly, 'It is? But isn't it locked? Where's Dembe?'

Bill smiled and pointed at the back windows of the car, 'He woke up long enough to pop the trunk for us and then went straight back to snoring away'.

Red and Liz both bent at the same time to peer into the back window of the Mercedes, bumping heads slightly as they did so.

'Ouch, Red! Watch where you're throwing that big melon of yours!'

Red rubbed his head and frowned at Liz, 'I think you'll find it was your melon that was in the wrong this time, my dear. Anyway, it appears Dembe is out for the count', Red finished as he smiled fondly into the back seat, 'Maybe we should let him sleep a little longer?'

'Well, we could. But if we do, I'm gonna want more wine'

Red quickly decided this was not a good idea and turned to knock on the window of the car, waking Dembe up, 'Hmm, well, actually…. Thinking about it, maybe we should just get back to D.C. Dembe can sleep all he wants once you're home'.

'Spoilsport'

Red opened the back door and Dembe blinked up at them, 'Is it time to go?'

'Yes, my friend. Will you be all right to drive?'

Dembe nodded as he hauled himself out from the car, 'I had better be judging by the smell of you two. Did you spill more than you drank?'

Liz snorted and poked Dembe in the ribs, 'Very funny. No, we didn't, you big cheese monster, you'.

Dembe frowned at Liz and then burst out laughing, 'Oh my, you're both legless, aren't you? Even you, Raymond?'

'Rather less so than Elizabeth but yes…'

Dembe turned and help Liz into the car and Red headed around to the other side, stumbling slightly over a small stone as he did so. Liz saw this and started to laugh again, 'Oh, yeah, much less drunk than me'.

Red chose to ignore Liz's jibe and instead held his hand up to wave to Bill, 'Thank you again, kind sir. Today was wonderful. I hope we shall return soon'.

Bill raised his hand in farewell and nodded to Red, smiling at him broadly before turning back towards the house.

'Okay, Dembe, to Liz's place, please. And, er, if you could take the bends as slowly as possible, that'd be admirable'.

Dembe pulled away and they were soon on the road back to the city. By the time they were on the highway, Red and Liz were both fast asleep in the back seat, each leaning towards the other. Dembe wished he could take a picture of them but he knew Red would seek revenge for such an act. Just as he was having this thought, Red started to snore loudly and Dembe had to stifle a laugh as Liz reached out in her sleep and whacked Red on the chest, mumbling something under her breath. Red jerked up and stopped snoring but didn't wake for a second.

Soon, they got back to Liz's house and Dembe pulled up directly outside. He switched the engine off and got out, slamming the door loudly to help them both wake up. Red's eyes opened like a shot but Liz slumbered on. Red got out the car and came around to the kerb, rubbing at his eyes as he came.

'Oh my god, falling asleep was a bad idea. I feel like I'm hungover already'.

'Shall we wake Elizabeth or do you want me to carry her in?'

'No, no. We should wake her', Red said and opened the door, crouching down next to the car to shake Liz's arm.

'Lizzy, sweetheart, you're home. Time to wake up'.

There was no response from Liz at all and Red stood up slightly to reach further into the car. His hand found her cheek and lifted it from her shoulder where it had been resting.

'Lizzy…. Can you hear…'

But Red didn't finish his sentence as Liz came to suddenly and due to her inebriation and the shock of waking up in a strange place, she just lashed out her arm and managed to hit Red right on the nose.

'Ah…., dear god, that hurts', Red said, dancing away from the car.

Dembe couldn't help himself and laughed loudly, turning away from Red as he did so. But it was to no avail as Red heard him anyway.

'Dat was dot funny, Dembe'

At the sound of Red's now rather nasal speech, Dembe laughed even harder and had to lean down on his knees to keep standing.

Liz, by now, was out of the car and at Red's side. She pulled his pocket square out and held it to his nose.

'Oh, my god, Red. I am so sorry. I don't even know what just happened. Are you okay? Is it broken?'

Red held his handkerchief to his nose and smiled at Liz, despite the blood that was trickling down his face, 'It's okay, Nizzy, I've had worse'.

Despite the fact that Red's voice wanted to make Liz laugh too, she bit down on her lip and managed not to, 'Okay, well, I'm really sorry…. That's an awful way to end our day'.

Red pulled the handkerchief away and wiped away the blood, 'Don't worry, it hasn't ruined my day at all. And I hope you had an enjoyable trip?'

'Oh, yes...' Liz said and stepped into Red's arms for a hug. 'It was perfect. Well, until just now, obviously', she said as she pulled away and smiled sympathetically at him.

'However, I think I need to go lie down for a bit longer so, er, I'll see you tomorrow?'

'Absolutely, my dear. I shall be here for noon? That should give us both time to sleep off today's endeavours', Red said, winking at her.

Liz smiled back and headed up to her front door, concentrating very hard on putting one foot in front of the other.

At the top of the steps, she turned back and waved back down to Red, 'See you tomorrow, Red. Thank you for a lovely day'.

'Goodnight, my dear. I hope you sleep well. I know I will…..'

Liz headed into the house and Red and Dembe returned to the car, 'So, Raymond, home?

'Dear god, yes. I'm exhausted. Who knew a wine tasting day could be so draining?'

'I hope tomorrow's activity is less high octane', Dembe said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

'You know, I may have to swap activities for tomorrow', Red said, 'I'm not sure either of us is going to want to be on the back of a horse'.


	2. Chapter 2

Red woke up early the next morning, having gone to bed long before his usual time. He actually felt okay, surprising even himself. Turning to glance at the clock, he saw it was only half past eight and even though part of him wanted to relax a little longer, he was too excited to get up and get going. Having cancelled the horses for today, he needed to ensure that the arrangements were in place for a different activity that he had planned for himself and Liz. Standing up, he stretched and headed for the shower, eager to be with his girl again.

Liz's alarm blared out at half past ten. It was the latest she had dared set it in order to be ready for Red's arrival at noon. She poked her head out from under the duvet and stared with contempt, if not loathing, at the infernal contraption. However, before she could even begin to countenance an extra twenty minutes in the warmth of her bed, she felt her stomach heave and she bolted out of bed, heading straight for the bathroom. 'Oh god, I can't believe I'm going to have to spend another day doing one of Red's 'fun' activities' was her last thought before she got to the toilet and brought up what little was still in her gut.

Red had gotten himself ready in record time and was at Liz's front door at half past eleven. He knew being this early was probably going to incur her wrath but he also thought that the bacon sandwich and a cup of the best coffee in town might help to ease his passage into her house. He knocked at the front door and stood back, waiting patiently. After thirty seconds, he could discern no movement from within and so knocked again, much louder this time. He gave it a full minute before frowning and reaching to fish out the spare key he had for her home from his pocket. He knew Liz would be unhappy to know he had such a thing but right now he just had to know she was all right. Letting himself in, he placed the breakfast items on the side and walked quietly into the front room, all the while considering unholstering his sidearm.

Having discounted the downstairs, he hurried up to Liz's bedroom, becoming increasingly agitated as he went. As he burst into her room, ready to take on anyone who might be in there, he had to come to a grinding halt and stifle a laugh when he eventually found his target. Liz was fully dressed but stretched out on top of her duvet, snoring loudly and with her hair covering her face. He smiled at the scene before him before heading to the bed and sitting next to her. Reaching out, he gently moved the hair from in front of her eyes, careful to keep his distance lest a repeat of the nose-punching incident from yesterday occurred.

Liz felt movement on her bed and a hand on her face and woke instantly, eyes wide. She saw Red looking down at her, a smile on his face. At that exact moment she couldn't quite tell whether he looked genuinely happy to see her or amused at her condition but she really didn't care. She sat up quickly and glared at him, defying him to say something cheeky about the state she was in.

'Good morning, sunshine', Red ventured, laughing at her only with his eyes.

'Morning….', Liz managed in reply.

'I'm sorry I'm early but I felt that maybe some hangover sustenance may be in order?'

Liz, without thinking, grimaced. However, when she thought about it a moment longer, she realised that the nausea had passed and that she was indeed ravenously hungry.

'What kind of, er, food?'

'A bacon sandwich and a delicious cup of coffee from Antonio's'

Liz managed a small smile at that news, 'Okay, that sounds good. What time is it anyway…..?'

Before she had a chance to look at her clock, Red informed her he was only half an hour early and stood, allowing her easier access off the bed. Taking her arm, he led her towards the door and they headed on down the stairs together. At the bottom, he picked up the goodies he'd brought her and continued to lead her towards her couch.

'Oh my god, Red, that smells sooooo good', Liz said, reaching out for the sandwich.

'And just what the doctor ordered, judging by the state of you, sweetheart'

Liz poked her tongue out at him as she unwrapped what may well prove to be the most satisfying meal of her life. She took a huge bite and then paused, her mouth full.

'Oww did oo get in?'

Red, who had by now seated himself in a armchair facing her, glanced down at an imaginary speck of dust on his knee, which he pretended to brush off, whilst considering his answer.

Having quickly chewed and swallowed, Liz saved him from having either to lie to her or admit the truth, 'You know what, it doesn't matter. You may have saved my life with this bacon sandwich so whatever….'. She took another large bite and closed her eyes in sheer bliss.

Red chanced a glance up at her and smiled widely. He loved how she took such delight in the simple things in life. Handing her the coffee, he sat back and sighed. Making Liz happy, even with the smallest things he could manage to do for her, gladdened his heart.

'So, my dear, are you up for another day of fun and frivolity?'

Swallowing her mouthful of sandwich, Liz looked up at Red, slightly reluctantly, 'Will it involve alcohol?'

Red barked out a laugh and reached over to squeeze Liz's knee, 'Not at all. Well, not unless you feel a bit better once we're there', he finished with a wink.

Liz looked relieved and carried on eating her breakfast. Within ten minutes, she was done and had collected her bag and coat, ready to leave. Red had parked right outside her house and she was surprised to see that Dembe wasn't in the car.

'What, no chauffeur today? Are you driving?'

'Well, I could let you take the wheel but I'm not quite sure yet if you're entirely sober', Red said as he easily dodged a slap meant for his arm.

'And, besides, I'm supposed to be spoiling you. So hop in and let's get going. It's only about a half hour drive from here so hopefully your breakfast can stay down that long'.

Liz got in the car and waited for Red to do the same. As soon as he sat down, she slapped his arm twice.

'That's for the sober comment. And that's for the breakfast comment'.

Red looked at her, a wounded expression on his face, 'Dear me, hungover Lizzy is quite formidable, isn't she? And not a little grumpy….'. As he was saying this, a third slap attempt was made by Liz but this time Red was ready for her and caught her hand. She frowned at him but he brought her hand up to his mouth and brushed his lips over her knuckles.

'Okay, I promise not to say anything else. Now's let see if we can get to our destination without me losing feeling in my arm'.

Liz smiled at him and nodded, too touched by his sweetness to make a reply. Red pulled away from the kerb and, as promised, they reached their destination in about half an hour. They hadn't made it too far out of the city but were already in a beautiful wooded area. Red took a turn off the main road and they travelled carefully up a poorly maintained track before pulling over into a small lay by. Liz looked curiously through the windshield. All she could see were trees, in all directions.

'We going lumber jacking?'

'Yes, dear. That's exactly what I have planned. I trust you've handled a chainsaw before?'

Liz stuck her tongue out at Red and got out of the car. She stretched and cracked her back. Instantly the wonderfully fresh country air hit her lungs and she breathed in deeply.

'Oh, Red, I already feel a thousand times better. The smell of the pine is amazing'.

Red smiled as he approached her from around the front of the car, 'Good to hear. I had had something else planned for today but after yesterday's….'

Liz gave him a warning glance

'…..excess on BOTH our parts, I thought this might be more enjoyable'.

'You gonna tell me yet?

'Well, as I'm going to need you to carry a couple of things, I'm going to have to', Red said as he headed for the trunk. He opened it up and Liz peered in. Inside were two folded easels, two folding stools and a couple of large hampers.

'Painting?!'

'Yes, a wonderfully peaceful pursuit. And it doesn't matter how good or bad you are, it's always so relaxing'.

Liz looked at Red a little dubiously but reached into the trunk and lifted out the two easels, pleased to note they were made from very light wood.

'Okay, we're going to need to make two journeys but thankfully the spot I picked is only about two hundred yards from here', Red said as he leant back into the trunk and picked up one of the two hampers.

'Right, follow me'. Red strode off into the trees, following a small path that didn't look as though it was going anywhere anytime soon. Liz traipsed behind him, still glorying in the freshness of the pine-scented air. After walking only a couple of minutes, suddenly the trees opened out and they were in a large valley, with meadows for a few miles in every direction and a river running past them, near to the tree line. Liz stopped and her jaw dropped.

'Oh, my. This is so beautiful'.

It was totally silent there, apart from the soft burbling of the water and the occasional bird song. Red beckoned her forwards a few more yards until they were positioned within only a few feet of the river, nicely set up under a tree to protect them from the sun. He placed down the hamper and turned to Liz, helping her set up the easels.

'I tell you what, sweetheart, I'll manage the rest on my own. Why don't you sit here and wait for me. You'll find some refreshments in the hamper'.

'It's okay, I can help…'

'Ah ah, I insist. I'll be back in no time. Just enjoy the peace and quiet'.

Liz smiled up at him, all his earlier teasing jibes instantly forgiven, 'Thank you, Red'.

'You're welcome'. And with that he disappeared back into the trees. Liz sat down right next to the water and stared in, watching the tiny fish there swimming about, fascinated by their rainbow colours. She was so engrossed in following their seemingly random movements that she didn't hear Red until he was just a few steps behind her. Startled, she turned just in time to see him dump down the second hamper and let the folding stools fall from under his arms.

'Oh, Red, I should've helped. That didn't look easy'.

'Nonsense, my dear. Just took me right back to basic training in the Navy'.

Liz snorted and came over to help him set up the stools, 'Went on a lot of picnics, did you?'

Red frowned at her and poked his tongue out. Liz was so surprised she burst out laughing. He grinned at her widely, 'Two can play the tongue poking game, sweetheart'.

Liz stepped around Red, unnecessarily using his arm to keep her balance, a gesture that of course he didn't miss. She bent down and opened the second hamper. It was full of paints, palettes, brushes and some turps. Other than that, nothing. Somehow the sight of the sparse equipment made Liz a bit nervous. She had been absolutely awful at art at school and was hoping to see something more helpful inside. Maybe something with an outline she just had to fill in.

'Red, before we start, I need to tell you something'.

'Yes'

'I really suck at this kinda thing'

Red laughed lightly and crouched down next to her, 'Don't worry about that. If you don't want to paint the landscape, just go full Jackson Pollock on the canvas. Or maybe some Mondrian? Whatever you enjoy the most. I promise you, it'll be fun'.

'I hope you're not suggesting that Pollock or Mondrian are easy to replicate?', Liz said with a light chuckle.

'Ha, of course not. But throwing paint at the canvas might be more satisfying if you're getting fed up with the finer details'.

Something in Red's words brought out Liz's competitive side, 'Okay, well, let's just give this a go, shall we? I assume you're a world class painter, taught by some famous Parisian artist in Montmartre whilst hiding out there…'

Red interjected, 'Lizzy, I can barely manage a stick figure. But I'm willing to give this a go so long as you enjoy it'.

Red leant down and unclasped the giant paper pad from the top of the hamper, 'Okay, I said canvas but this is only paper. Quality paper of course but much easier to transport multiple sheets. Which I'm guessing the two of us might need', he said, winking over his shoulder at Liz.

Liz took a page from the pad and went to attach it to her easel. She then fetched a palette and a selection of brushes and paints. Sitting down at her stool, she looked up at the landscape and sighed, 'I don't have anything that's even nearly the right colour for the grass. These greens are far too light or too dark'.

'The magic of watercolour, Lizzy. You mix. Here, allow me to show you'.

Red spent the next ten minutes attempting to show Liz how to mix the various paints, along with a little water, to get exactly the right colour she wanted. She had to admit to herself, creating your own unique colour was pretty exciting. If only the next part wasn't going to be so hard…

After his brief tutorial, Red opened up the first hamper and fetched them out some drinks and snacks he'd brought along. He opened a bottle of wine and poured himself a glass, glancing over at Liz as he did so. The wrinkling of her nose told him all he needed to know and he didn't bother fetching the second glass, instead pulling out a fruit cordial for her. They then settled on their stools and soon were both lost in the wonder of attempting to replicate nature on a sheet of paper.

After a couple of hours, during which they chatted amiably and Red attempted more than once to try to see what Liz had managed so far, only to be threatened away with her bottle of turps, Red put down his brushes and sat back.

'Okay, I think that's as good as it's gonna get. And dear me, it is truly terrible', he finished with a sigh.

Liz couldn't resist and she got up and came to stand behind him. 'Red, that's really good, what are you talking about? And you've got the colour of the sky just right'.

Red beamed up at her, suddenly feeling very smug, 'Thank you. But I fear you're merely pandering to my ego. Now, may I see what you've done?'

'Er, well, I'm not quite finished. But, yeah, okay…..'

Liz nervously walked back over to her easel and stood in front of it. Red followed straight away and turned to face her work.

'Oh, well that's…. I mean, it's very….. When did you see cows?'

'Cows?'

'These things here', Red said, pointing at her painting.

'Red, those are bushes!'

'They are?', he said, bending in further in order to inspect them more closely. 'But they have ears. And tails'.

'They do not! That's just the branches. And the so-called ears were two little birds that sat on the bushes for a while'.

'Ah, okay…. Oh, I didn't spot an airplane either. I must have been truly engrossed in my own work'.

'What airplane?', Liz asked, an edge entering her voice.

Red turned back and looked at her, hearing her tone and suddenly reluctant to continue his inspection of her picture.

'What airplane?', Liz repeated, not letting him off the hook.

Red faced the picture once again and nervously pointed at something in the sky.

Liz gasped. 'That's clearly a bird! Look, it has wings. And legs!'

'Well, Lizzy, airplanes have wings. And I thought the 'legs' were the undercarriage if I'm honest…'

Red stopped talking as he felt something spray across his face. Reaching his hand up he wiped his fingers over his cheek and pulled them away to inspect.

'Elizabeth, did you just spray me with paint?'

He turned to look at her, highly amused and yet not quite willing to show his amusement yet. She looked back at him, eyes blazing.

'I told you I sucked at this kind of thing. You could at least be nice'.

'Lizzy, I did honestly think those were cows. And that that bird was an airplane…..'. Red couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing, turning away from Liz in order to hide the worst of his glee. As soon as he did so, he felt another spray of moisture across the back of his neck.

'Oh, you little rascal. Well, we'll see about that', he said, striding back over to his own tubs of paint.

'Red, you wouldn't dare!'

But Red would dare as Liz realised when she suddenly found herself covered in light blue paint.

'I cannot believe you did that, Raymond Reddington!'

'Well, Elizabeth Keen, do you have any idea how much this suit cost?'

'It's watercolour, it'll wash out'

'Well, that goes both ways, sweetheart', Red said as he added some yellow to the blue. 'You know what, the Pollock approach really is more fun'.

Liz stood staring at Red, half enraged and half in disbelief. She then grabbed one of her own pots and threw the whole lot over him.

'Elizabeth!'

'Raymond, you started this'

'No, my dear', Red managed through gritted teeth, 'that was you and your paintbrush'.

'And you had to escalate to whole tubs?!'

'Never bring a knife to a gunfight, sweetheart'.

'Or a paintbrush to a paint tub fight?', Liz said, starting to giggle.

'I think that was the advice Eliot Ness was given, yes….', Red said before he too started to laugh.

They both dropped their 'weapons' and made their way over to each other.

'I'm sorry, Red. That was really childish of me. I just, well, I kinda was a bit embarrassed by how bad my picture is'.

'No, Lizzy, I'm sorry. I was the one who made the stupid observations. Come on, let's get your clothes washed in the river before the paint sets in'.

Red took Liz's hand and led her down to the water, helping her on the steep bank. He then removed his jacket and vest and laid them on the side, whilst starting to unbutton his shirt.

'Er, Red, there isn't any paint on your shirt'.

'I know. I'm not washing it. Or anything else. It's for you'.

'But… Then why did you take off your jacket and….'

'Sweetheart, my suit is light wool. I get it wet, it's ruined anyway. It'll have to be dry cleaned for the paint. Your top, however, may be salvageable. But then you won't have a dry top. Hence my dress shirt'.

Liz looked at him, suddenly filled with affection. He was now standing there in just a white t-shirt, waiting for her to agree.

'Okay, well, thank you. I hope you can get the paint out of your suit. If not, I'll replace it'.

'Not on your government salary you won't, my dear', Red said with a wink. 'But it's fine. I have far more suits than I could ever need. Now, I'll observe the other side of the valley whilst you give your top a rinse'. And with that Red turned and faced in the opposite direction to Liz, allowing her to strip down to her bra and put her clothing in the river.

Whilst he was standing there, trying very hard not to think of the fact that his Lizzy was half naked right behind him, Red just couldn't bite his tongue. The silliness of their paint fight had inspired him and he felt obliged to continue with it.

'You know something, Lizzy?'

'What?'

'Those bushes do kind of look like cows, I can see why you would…'

Red looked down, aghast. Oh, he really should have seen this coming. His pants were soaked through from the tidal wave Liz had just launched at him from the river.

'You were saying, Red?'

'Well, now this suit is ruined. Which means there's no need for me not to do this…..'. And with that, Red took two swift steps over to Liz, picked her up, not without some small resistance from her, and stepped into the river, before throwing her right into a deeper part of the water.

When she popped up to the surface, she glared at him, mouth wide open.

'Oh, look, a guppy', Red said before laughing at her openly, his hands on his knees. But this was a bad mistake, taking his eyes off her. In seconds Liz was right in front of him and had grabbed him by his armpits, using her weight to take them both back into the water.

This time when she surfaced she had Red's face right in front of her, his eyes dancing with delight. Without even thinking about what she was doing she moved forward and pulled him close to her, her arms wrapped around his neck.

'Okay, okay, I submit. No more. I promise you I'm done'.

Red put his own arms around her waist and held her close, chuckling in her ear.

'Me too, sweetheart. Now let's get out of here and see what clothing we can dry before we have to get back in the car'.

They walked out of the river together, picking up their clothing from the bank before returning to their belongings. Red immediately started gathering wood and placing it on a piece of ground with no grass, only exposed earth. He then produced a knife and shaved some bark off the tree that hung over them. Using his lighter and bark as tinder he had a fire going in no time.

'Okay, well, I'm going to strip to my boxers now. You should borrow my shirt whilst all your other clothing dries'.

Before Liz had a chance to respond Red had turned from her and was snapping branches off the tree to stick in the ground, next to the ever growing heat of the fire, and starting to hang their wet clothing on them. Liz decided this was no time for being prudish. Despite the fact it was a warm day, she didn't fancy wearing wet clothes for too long and they couldn't very well travel home in just their underwear. The chance of being pulled over by the cops was obviously one they couldn't take with Red's 'Wanted' status.

Within minutes all the wet clothing was hanging from branches whilst Liz sat just in Red's dress shirt and he in his boxers and suit jacket. His boxers were wet but the silky material would dry fast and he had nothing else with which to conceal his privates.

As they were waiting for their clothing to dry, they each nibbled at food from the hamper and Red drank some more wine, even managing to encourage Liz to drink a little too, to keep her warm.

Within about two hours, despite the fact they were now quite happy to sit there for longer, their clothing was dry and so they both decided to make a move towards home. Red had told Liz that the next day's activity would be rather more exerting and so he wanted her well rested beforehand. They packed up everything and headed for the car. Red was still only wearing his t-shirt and Liz couldn't help but gaze at his strong, muscular back as they walked away from the river. During the time their clothes had been drying she'd stolen more than one glance at his well-defined chest and biceps. The idea of seeing more was starting to titillate her to the point of distraction.

As for Red, the thought that Liz was sitting there, completely nude, other than for his dress shirt, was absolute agony. He had had his legs crossed the whole time, hoping to hide his erection. He did hope that she didn't find it odd that he hadn't moved his hands from his lap for over two hours. But now he was in some discomfort and couldn't wait to get away from her for a few hours in order to deal with his problem. Thankfully his pants had been dry so at least he could hide his arousal a little better from her once they were back in the car.

The journey home was uneventful. They both laughed and chatted the whole way, teasing the other about how silly they'd each been. When they got back to Liz's place, Red bounded out of his seat and round to Liz's door, opening it for her.

'Thank you for another wonderful day, my dear'

'No, thank you. I swear, if I ever write my memoirs, the day I had a paint and water fight with the much feared Concierge of Crime will be the chapter everyone will appreciate the most'.

Red smiled, almost sadly, and bent forward to kiss Liz on the cheek.

'Well, I'm glad you had fun. Sleep well. Tomorrow is an early start, if that's okay? I'll be here at 8am'.

'Not a problem, Red. I think I'm gonna sleep very deeply tonight. Good night'.

'Good night, Lizzy'

Liz walked up the steps to her home, turning briefly to smile back at Red as she opened the door and went in. He sighed under his breath, his cheeks blowing out as he did so. He hadn't felt as happy and as carefree as he had today in such a long time, it was truly a remarkable experience for him. Turning back to the car, he slid behind the wheel and smiled. Hopefully tomorrow was going to be just as much fun.


	3. Chapter 3

Liz's alarm went off at 7am and she slowly rolled out of bed. She felt so much better than she had the previous morning and allowed herself a rueful smile at the state she'd been in fewer than twenty-four hours earlier. Reaching for her phone, she saw that she had a text message.

'Wear jeans today. And shoes or boots with a small heel. And a warm sweater or jacket. R x'.

Well, now her interest was piqued. What on earth was he planning this time? Heading quickly for the shower, she started to ponder what Red's suggested footwear could mean.

At 8am sharp, there was a knock at her door and Liz eagerly went to let Red in. As she opened the door, she tried but couldn't help but laugh at his attire. Red frowned back at her, 'Something funny, Elizabeth?'

'Er…. Please don't tell me you're taking me line dancing?', Liz managed before starting to giggle again.

Red looked down at his clothing and then back up at her, a mock hurt expression on his face. He too was wearing jeans and a plaid shirt. Both of which looked wonderful on him. But it was the cowboy boots that Liz couldn't handle. She never thought she'd see the day when 'Mr GQ' would be seen in such things.

'I have no intention whatsoever of taking you line dancing, Lizzy. In fact, the very thought does unmentionable things to my insides. Now, are you ready; we should really get going?'

Liz turned away and grabbed her bag and a jacket she'd looked out. Smiling apologetically at him, she walked past him and started down her steps, another giggle squeaking out just as she was past his line of sight.

'I heard that, Elizabeth'.

Again, it was just the two of them today and Red drove them for just under an hour, out of the city and into the forest. Whatever it was that Red had planned, Liz found she really didn't mind as getting out into the countryside every day made it all worthwhile. The peace she felt out here in such natural beauty was something she hadn't realised she'd missed until this past week. Gazing out the window, she noticed that they were coming to a stop next to a large wooden building set back about half a mile from the road down yet another small, rutted track.

She turned to look at Red but he was already half out his door and heading around to open hers for her. Although she could be out by the time he got there, she allowed him to come open it for her as she knew these gestures meant a lot to him. And they always made her feel so special when he did them. She couldn't remember a single time Tom had opened her car door for her. Immediately banishing the thought of that creep from her mind, she smiled widely up at Red as he pulled back her door and offered his hand to help her out.

'Thank you, Red'

'You're welcome, my dear'

'So, you gonna tell me what this is all about?'

'It might be more fun if I show you instead', Red said with a wink. He headed to the trunk and lifted out a couple of rucksacks and then joined her again at the front of the car.

'This way, Lizzy'.

Leading the way, Red strode off towards the barn and walked straight up the side of it, like he owned the place. Liz briefly wondered if he did, it wouldn't surprise her at all. She followed him closely, very eager to see what was awaiting them on the other side. As soon as Red got to the far corner he stopped, looked up and then smiled. She came up next to him and turned to see what he was looking at. Standing about ten metres away were two beautiful chestnut horses, both saddled up and standing docilely next to a water trough.

Red glanced at Liz subtly, hoping to gauge her unguarded reaction. He needn't have worried as Liz was grinning from ear to ear. She turned to him and couldn't help herself, stepping into his arms for a hug.

'Oh, Red, this is amazing. I love horses so much! I've not ridden in years but oh my god…..'

And with that she was gone, walking slowly towards the horses, ensuring they could see her approach. Within seconds she was nuzzling with them both and stroking their necks and noses. They both seemed to be taken with her too as they let her touch them with no signs of distress or worry. Red hung back for a few minutes, just letting Liz meet her new friends. Whilst he had ridden a few times, he was by no means a horseman and was hoping that he wasn't about to make a fool of himself. Deciding to just bury his slight trepidation about today's activity, he headed on over to join them, also approaching from where the horses could see him as Liz had.

'I see they've taken an immediate shine to you, Lizzy. They do say horses are great judges of character'.

Just as Red finished saying this, the horse nearest him reached over and gently nibbled on Red's shoulder. Lizzy laughed at Red's expression, unable to help herself, 'You were saying, Red?'

Red scowled at the horse, who bared his teeth at him in what looked very much like a mocking grin, 'I'm going to assume that was a friendly introduction, rather than something more sinister. I rather think I'd be missing some shoulder flesh right now if it had been. Anyway, Lizzy, if you're au fait with horses, I'm going to leave you for a second to check your saddle's tight enough, sort your stirrups and all that. I've left something in the car. Oh, by the way, this delightful horse with the silver blaze is the one meant for you. Apparently he prefers ladies'.

Red, somewhat reluctantly, indicated that the horse that hadn't bitten him was the one Liz was to ride. He looked at it sadly and then back at his own mount, who still appeared to be eyeing up his shoulder hungrily, 'Oh, dear, what have I done? Maybe I should have stuck with the idea of quad biking'.

Liz laughed and reached over to smooth down Red's shirt, which was still puckered up from the horse's mouth, 'Don't worry, Red. If he didn't like you, you'd know it for sure by now. I'll sort the saddles, you go back to the car'.

Throwing one last suspicious glance at his horse, Red turned on his heel and headed off around the side of the barn. Liz checked the horses' girths and saddles were secure, also quickly shortening their reins. By the time she was done, Red was back and stalking across the short patch of field towards them. Liz looked up and this time there was no hiding her mirth.

'Oh…my….god… Red, what…, why…?'

'What? You know I like to wear hats?'

Liz just about managed to stop laughing long enough to reply, 'But a cowboy hat, really?' She wouldn't admit it but it looked fantastic on him. The man really was born to wear hats. But the combination of that and the boots was just too much. They were only going for a short ride, she couldn't believe he felt the need to wear a costume to do so.

'Of course a cowboy hat, Lizzy. I could hardly wear a trilby or a fedora now, could I?', Red harumphed and went to the side of his horse.

'If you could stop laughing at me for a moment, I've just checked in the car what the names of these two beasts are. Yours is Freddy. Mine is, er, Rascal'.

Liz had to turn away from Red and hide behind Freddy as she just couldn't hold in her glee any longer.

'Yes, he does seem to have been appropriately named, doesn't he?', Red said with a sigh. 'Ah, well, the fellow who left them here for us just half an hour ago assures me they're both very well behaved and used to riders of little experience'.

Liz eventually emerged from behind Freddy and headed towards Red, 'I'm sure it'll be fine, Red. Now, I assume these saddle bags are for whatever's in your rucksacks?'

'Yes, just some food and drink for the day. We should be back by about 4pm but will obviously need some sustenance before that'. Red reached towards the rucksacks and quickly transferred the contents to the saddle bags.

'Okay, I think we're ready to go'

'Wait, Red. Do you need me to adjust your stirrups?'

Red desperately wanted to say yes but his humiliation so far today had rendered him incapable of admitting the fact that he hadn't a clue how to do it. Every other time he'd ridden he'd had nothing to do with the actual tacking up of the horse or anything like that.

'I'm sure I'll be just fine, sweetheart', he said as he looked at her with a smugness he certainly didn't feel. He turned towards Rascal and, gripping the reins in his hand, grabbed the front of the saddle. With his other hand, he took a hold of the stirrup and pulled it towards him. Then he reached his foot up. There was no way he was getting his foot up that high he quickly realised. However, Red decided that he wasn't about to admit defeat. He reached his right hand up and took a hold of the back of the saddle, hoping to just boost himself up. He jumped up slightly, allowing his weight to rest on his arms as he started to swing his leg over the back of the horse. However, Rascal had other ideas and with a couple of nifty steps away, Red found himself lying flat on his back on the ground.

Rascal whinnied loudly and bent down to sniff at Red's boots. Red just lay there, wishing desperately for the earth to open up and swallow him whole. Liz eventually appeared, having bitten hard into her lip to stop herself from laughing at Red yet again. She was starting to feel sorry for him. He was going to so much trouble for her and all she could do was laugh at him and belittle his outfit.

'Are you okay?'

'Yes'

'Do you wanna get up or…..?'

'No…..' Red sighed and sat up, 'Okay, yes. But, er, could you help with the stirrups?' He looked up at her with the most adorably plaintive look she'd ever seen on a man and she reached down to offer him a hand to help him to his feet.

'Of course. You only needed to ask'.

Turning back to Rascal, Liz altered his left stirrup so that it was as long as it could be. She then indicated that Red should try again. This time there was no issue and he was up and seated in seconds. Liz then pulled the stirrup up so that it was at a height he could put his foot in it whilst riding, before repeating the action with his right one.

'I can't recall the last time I had such difficulty getting my leg over', Red muttered.

Liz looked up at him, mouth slightly agape. He winked to her and tipped his hat. Now that he was safely seated on his horse, he felt the need to reestablish his alpha male status. So far today had been a disaster and he quickly needed to remedy the situation.

Liz scowled at him, the slight smirk playing about her mouth giving away her actual amusement at his return to form.

She then quickly got up onto Freddy, adjusted her stirrup and turned to Red, 'So, where are we going?'

Red tugged on his left rein and squeezed his legs, urging Rascal forward, 'Thankfully it's an easy trek. We just follow the river as far as the waterfall and then back. Couple of hours either way with a nice rest once we get there'.

'Sounds good. You feeling okay up there?'

'Quite all right, thank you Lizzy. It's all starting to come back to me now'.

Liz pulled Freddy up next to Red and Rascal and they walked out of the field together, heading for the river in the near distance. Once they got there, Red turned them to the right and they started out along the river path. Liz was completely relaxed and happy. This was such a good idea that Red had had. She looked over at him, silhouetted to her by the sun behind him. He looked so handsome in his cowboy attire. And so manly on the back of a horse. Boy, was she falling hard for this guy, she thought to herself and smiled softly.

The outward trek did indeed only take a couple of hours and they spent them chatting about all manner of topics, from art to books to Aram's hilariously obvious crush on Samar. Eventually they reached the waterfall and they both dismounted, Red being very cautious as he did so, even after Liz had lengthened his stirrup for him once again. She then took the horses to a tree next to the water and tied their reins to a low lying branch so that they could have a drink and stand in the shade. Red removed the food and a blanket from the saddle bags and they settled down next to the water.

Having eaten and drank till they were fit to burst, they both laid back on the blanket, sighing contentedly.

'Thank you Red, that lunch was delicious. And today has been another great choice. That's three out of three so far'. She glanced at him lying next to her, his hat pulled forward over his forehead, shading his eyes. The smug smile she saw there when she complimented him was obvious but she didn't mind at all. The thought he'd put into their activities was something she appreciated hugely.

'You're welcome, sweetheart. And before I forget….. I was hoping that you would stay away with me for the next couple of nights. The next three activities require us being somewhere other than the Washington area. Is that okay?'

Red didn't look at Liz as he awaited her reply. He was a little nervous that she would think that too much. However, his concern was ill founded.

'That sounds great. No clues as to what we're doing though, I guess?'

'Oh, heavens to Betsy, no. The surprise is half the fun of it, surely?'

Liz reluctantly agreed and glanced away, racking her brain for what kind of things might require them to be away for two nights. Other than some tropical beach location, she couldn't think of much more.

'Will I need specific clothing or anything?'

'Actually, yes. However, as revealing what that clothing is would give away what we're doing, I've taken the liberty of buying you some myself. I hope you don't mind?' Red opened one eye and looked at Liz. She looked back at him and smiled.

'Can I keep whatever it is?'

'Ha, yes, of course'

'Then I don't mind at all', she replied, poking her tongue out at him.

Laughing, Red sat then stood up and put his hat back on straight. 'Excellent. Now, shall we head back? We need to leave at 4am tomorrow morning so should be home as soon as possible.

Liz groaned, 'Now that part I do mind…..'

He turned and looked at her, slightly worried.

'Only kidding, Red. I'm sure whatever it is will be well worth it'

Accepting his outstretched hand, she pulled herself up. They packed their stuff and put it all back in the saddle bags.

'You sure we couldn't stay just a little longer, Red? I'd love to get a bit closer to that waterfall…..'. As she asked this, she looked up at Red, eyelashes batting away nineteen to the dozen.

He scowled at her, 'Even if I did want to say no, how on earth am I meant to now, you rascal'

At the mention of his name, Red's steed looked over at them and whinnied quietly, causing them both to laugh.

'Well, he is a clever boy, isn't he?', Red said as he beamed proudly at the horse, their earlier 'friction' seemingly forgotten.

Liz grabbed Red's hand and pulled him towards the waterfall, 'Come on, I just wanna stand nearer so we can feel the power of the water'. She practically dragged him to the base of the waterfall and they both craned their necks to look up to the highest point they could see, the spray hitting them hard from where the water bounced off the rocks.

'This is so cool', Liz laughed as she stuck a hand out to let some of the water land on her, 'It's just beautiful'.

'Yes, it is', Red replied. But he wasn't watching the waterfall at all. His eyes were fixed on Liz as she opened her mouth and closed her eyes, letting herself be slowly soaked by the spray. His eyes travelled down to her chest as he noticed just how see-through her white shirt was becoming. Staring at her for just a few seconds longer, he felt a twitch in his groin and swiftly turned away. As much as he wanted to watch that delightful vision for as long as possible, he really couldn't imagine how painful having an erection would be whilst on a horse and so he shut his eyes and started thinking about baseball as he kept his back to her.

'Okay, mister, let's get this show back on the road', Liz said as she once again grabbed Red's hand and led him back to the horses. He went willingly with her, glad that she now had her back to him.

Reaching the horses, Liz went at once to hold Rascal as Red approached him, ready to mount. He was up in no time and settling himself back in the saddle. Untying Rascal from the tree, Liz had just started to pull the reins back up over Rascal's head to hand to Red when there was an enormous boom from higher up the mountain. Before either of them had a chance to process what it might be, Rascal had reared up, whinnying loudly. Once his front hooves hit the grass again he was off at a full gallop, heading back the way they'd come. Not only did Red not have a hold of the reins but neither of his feet were in the stirrups either. He gripped his legs as hard as he could and held onto the front of the saddle for dear life.

Liz stared after them both for a couple of seconds before reacting to what had happened. She then turned to Freddy, who seemed barely conscious of either the boom or Rascal's reaction to it. Liz untied the reins from the tree and was on her horse in seconds, turning him to gallop after Red. Thankfully, due to the tree line, there was only one path Rascal could follow and so Liz didn't have to worry about the fact they were now out of sight around a bend. Spurring Freddy on, she had him going full pelt in no time.

Red, however, was faring less well. Whilst he was managing to stay on his mount quite admirably, he was being shaken about like a rag doll. He had tucked his head down a bit so that he wasn't decapitated by some of the lower branches but he had to admit this was terrifying. Oh, how he would rather be facing ten angry, machine gun equipped drug lords than be at the mercy of this beast. A beast he was currently considering adding to the blacklist.

Eventually Liz and Freddy caught up to them. Liz didn't really know how to slow Rascal down so she encouraged Freddy to go even faster and they pulled ahead of him. Once there, she was just starting to pull on the reins to slow her horse down, hoping to force Rascal to slow down too, when Freddy caught a hoof in a pothole and the next thing she knew, she and he were lying in a pile of limbs in the middle of the path.

Rascal saw all this and immediately came to a halt. It was almost as if he knew that Liz being hurt would guarantee his rider ensuring his next outing was to the glue factory. He stood still as Red practically threw himself off his back and ran towards Liz.

'Sweetheart, are you okay?', he managed to pant out, reaching for her and helping her sit up.

'Yes, yes, I'm okay. Just a bit winded. Poor Freddy took the brunt of the fall'. She looked over at Freddy, who was struggling to get to his feet and was clearly lame.

'Are you sure?'

'Red, I'm fine, really', Liz looked up into his eyes and saw the worry written all over his face. 'Are you okay?'

Red huffed and stood up, helping Liz up with him. 'I am, amazingly. Although I can't say the same for my testicles. I may need an ice bath when I get home', he finished with a wince.

Liz looked at him and burst out laughing.

'Elizabeth!'

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's not that funny… It's just the adrenaline'

Red raised an eyebrow at her and then walked, in full John Wayne fashion, earning a muffled giggle from Liz yet again, over to Freddy.

'Ah, poor boy. Are you all right?'

Freddy by now was on his feet but anything but fine. Whilst he was walking about okay, he was struggling to put much weight on his injured leg. Red flipped out his phone and made a quick call.

'Right, I've let their owner know what happened. He should be there by the time we get back'.

'Okay….. How are we getting back?'

'I guess we're both going to have to ride Rascal', Red said with a defeated look and a sigh. 'Might I suggest you have control of him? We're really not understanding each other at all I don't think'.

Liz took a hold of Red's hand and pulled him in for a hug, 'I'm just glad you're okay. I felt sure I was going to round a bend and find you hanging from a tree or unconscious in the river'.

Red grabbed her tight and squeezed, 'Not half as worried as I was when you and Freddy went flying. I thought he was going to crush you'.

They kept a hold of each other for a full minute, each allowing their heart rates and breathing to return to normal. Then Liz helped Red get back on top of Rascal and, keeping a hold of Freddy's reins, she then got up herself, seating herself in front of Red. It was a cosy fit on the saddle but Red got as close as he dared and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

'I'm just glad this isn't a saddle with a pommel', Liz said with a chuckle as she gently urged Rascal forward, tugging Freddy behind them.

Once they got moving, Freddy's limp seemed to improve a little and they were soon walking briskly back towards the barn. As they rode along, neither of them spoke much, each reliving their own private horror of seeing the other in mortal danger. Red's grip tightened on Liz every time he flashed back to that moment when she and Freddy had fallen so violently. In turn, Liz would reach down and squeeze his hand reassuringly.

Despite the fact of what had just happened, Red couldn't help but enjoy being this close to his girl. Holding her tight like this for so long was something he'd long dreamt of. He briefly worried about getting yet another erection whilst pressed so tightly to her back but thankfully the pain in his balls put paid to any danger of that.

Once back at the barn, Red's associate was there to greet them. They dismounted and spoke briefly to him about what had happened. He checked out Freddy's leg and assured them he looked worse than he was, fondly stroking his neck as Freddy nuzzled him.

Red paid the man handsomely and he and Liz returned to their vehicle, 'Okay, well, that didn't go quite as swimmingly as I'd planned. I apologise, Lizzy'.

'It's hardly your fault, Red. What do you think that bang was?'

'I suspect there might be a quarry somewhere up the mountain. It sounded like dynamite. Impeccable timing I must say….'

Liz smiled at him and reached over to hold his hand, 'Well, we're all back in one piece, that's what matters'.

Red held her hand tightly and smiled back at her, 'Yes, indeed. Right, let's get you home. The sooner I drop you off, the sooner I can see about that ice pack….'

Liz snorted and Red pulled the car away, pointing them back in the direction of the city. It took them little time to get back to Liz's home and Red parked up right outside, before hopping from the car, a wince on his face, to go and open her door. As Liz got out, she realised she had stiffened up during the car journey and was now feeling the aches and pains she'd received during her fall.

'Right, well I think I'll be having a very hot bath now. I do hope you enjoy your super cold one'

'Very funny, my dear', Red scowled at her. 'I'll see you at 4am tomorrow morning. Rest up tonight, you're going to be expending a lot of energy the next few days. I do hope we're both going to be capable of doing what I've got planned'.

'I'm sure we will, Red. We make a great team'.

Liz stepped into Red's embrace and they held each other tightly again. 'Thank you for today, Red. I always know a day out with you, no matter how low octane the prospect, will always involve some kind of drama'.

Red couldn't help himself and he leant in to kiss her on her forehead, 'Sadly that seems to be the case. Maybe I'll locate a rabbit's foot to take with us for the next few days'.

'Good idea'

'Right, well, good evening Lizzy. Sleep well. And enjoy your lovely warm bath', Red finished with a jealous look on his face.

Liz laughed at his expression, 'Good evening to you too. Don't give yourself frostbite'.

Before Red had a chance to reply to her cheeky comment, she had turned and walked into her house, leaving him to walk gingerly back to his car.

'That woman is gonna be the death of me, one way or another'.


End file.
